Gayle & Chuck McGriff Garden

Located in Plymouth, selected as “America’s Best Place to Live” in 2008, Gayle’s Garden is in the wonderful subdivision of Mapledell. The area is blessed with an abundance of maple trees, with the garden being contiguous to a wildlife area containing a public walking path. The extensive shade of the maple and other hardwood trees on the property and steep hillsides naturally led to plantings of hostas and other shade loving plants. Welcome to the results of an ongoing effort to use what the site offers.

In the beginning, the challenge was a large maple in the front yard. The solution was making a rock lined kidney shaped garden and planting ‘August Moon’ and ‘Fortunei Aureomarginata’ which could tolerate the late afternoon sun. With time and the collection of more rocks and hostas, plus a very large Bleeding Heart, the planting area has grown into a presentation which draws complimentary comments from passersby.

Steep hillsides also presented a challenge due to continued erosion from rains and difficultly mowing, so why not make a garden! With lots of physical labor, a swale was dug on the west side of the house and filled with river gravel rock and circular stones for walking, and edged with a collection of rocks from everywhere. More rocks and more rocks and more rocks followed to make multiple leveled tiers for ‘Leola Fraim’, ‘Mildred Seaver’, and ‘Sagae’, to name a few. This section of the garden reflects adding new varieties from the annual Hosta Dig and plant sale and the dividing of mature plants such as ‘Gold Standard’ and ‘Francee’.

Gardens on the east side of the house were developed with a similar objective of controlling rainwater flow. However, steps were made using a walk maker creating a faux stone walk, edged with a variety of hostas and Japanese Painted ferns. Hostas compliment a Weigela bush and a young Pagoda dogwood tree. A large oval shaped section of plantings of hostas and companion plants surrounds maple and basswood trees on the hillside, known as “the rockery”. During the past couple of years, plantings of additional hostas have been added to this section of the garden resulting in a more harmonious look to the area.

This spring, the aging railroad ties were removed from the original garden spot and replaced with a new raised garden made from interlocking blocks. Once again the physical labor provided by Chuck has made the garden what it is today. The wetland and wildlife area bordering the garden adds to the charm, but also represents a challenge in keeping the rabbits and deer from enjoying “hosta salads” on a regular basis. We hope you enjoy our garden.